


Tea for Two

by Sir_Nemo



Category: The Hobbit (2012)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-27
Updated: 2013-02-27
Packaged: 2017-12-03 20:11:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/702143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sir_Nemo/pseuds/Sir_Nemo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bombur has a little crush on Dori. With the help of his brother he manages to ask the other dwarf to join him for some tea. </p>
<p>The rest of the Company watches in amusement.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tea for Two

”Just look at them,” Nori muttered. ”Who would have thought.”

Next to him Bofur looked up from a small wooden doll he was working on for one of the kids of the town and at the table where his brother and Dori were sitting. Dori was nestling a small white cup of tea in his big hands, and Bombur was munching on a piece of cake.

”Oh, I came up with that,” Bofur said.

”You did?”

”It was pretty obvious that Bombur was insufferably in love with your brother, but he would have never done anything about it if I hadn't told him to ask Dori to have tea with him.” Bofur paused. ”And pushed him all the way across the camp so he would actually speak to him.”

"Oh yeah, I remember that,” Nori said, recollecting one evening when after an argument of sorts Bofur had started pushing Bombur, who was protesting all the way, towards where Dori and Ori had been sitting. Well, had tried to push, as Bombur was rather too big for any dwarf to push around. Luckily for Bofur, Fili and Kili were always up for little fun, and three of them together finally managed to get Bombur to a talking-distance from Dori. After which Bofur, Fili and Kili had promptly grabbed Ori by the arms and practically carried him away from the two.

No one had heard the actual conversation between Dori and Bombur, and even when Nori asked, his brother refused to tell. But there they sat now, as different as could be, Bombur, shy and big and fumbling around for more cake, and Dori with his gentle eyes and manners, and a pleasant smile.

”Well, I suppose it does them both good. Having... People to drink tea with.”

”Let's hope all goes well,” Bofur said and he and Nori shared a grin. Bofur turned to return back to his work only to notice that his knife which he had used to carve the doll with, had gone missing.

”Hey, where's my knife?” Bofur asked, looking about. Nori grinned sheepishly, pulling the knife out of his sleeve and handing it back to him.

”Force of habit,” he answered. Bofur huffed.

\- - -

Dori was feeling quite content. They were sitting by an actual table. Granted, it was a table designed for men, so it was a bit on the bigger side, but after weeks and weeks of running about in the wilderness even an unfitting table was better than nothing.

The cup of hot liquid warmed his hands better than the campfire ever had. Slowly he breathed in the sweet scent, and sighed in happiness.

Across from him, Bombur was stuffing his third piece of cake into his mouth.

”Are the cakes to your liking?” Dori asked. Bombur stopped chewing for a brief second to nod.

”Good,” Dori said with a smile and sipped his tea. 

\- - -

The cup was too small for Bombur's hands, and he couldn't hold it like Dori did, and he felt silly and clumsy, but Dori didn't seem to notice as he was still smiling.

It made Bombur happy, Dori's smile and the cakes and even the weird liquid that sort of tasted like dishwater, but he drank it anyway. Mostly Dori's smile, though.

The tea soon ran out, as did the cakes. Much too early to Bombur's liking. Without a word Dori gathered the plates and cups on a tray, arranging them neatly in piles, before hopping off the chair, and grabbing the tray.

”I'll just take these to the kitchen. It was nice having tea with you,” Dori said with a faint smile and started towards the kitchen. Bombur fiddled with his fingers, watching the other dwarf walk away. He had a strange feel of urgency welling up in the depths of his stomach. It was an unusual feeling. Like he was supposed to do something, quick, now.

”Dori. Can we have tea again? Together? Sometime? Soon?” Bombur blurted out, hopping down from the chair, and Dori stopped and Bombur felt his heart drop. But then Dori turned to him and smiled again.

”Of course,” he answered. Then he took a couple of steps towards Bombur, grabbed him by the beard as if to keep him from running away, while balancing the tray on one hand, and bumped their heads slightly together, which made Bombur blush furiously. Dori adjusted his grip on the the tray, and with one last look disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the confused Bombur frozen in his place at the middle of the tavern.

\- - -

Unbeknownst to both of them, they had attracted a couple of curious watchers, who were all sitting around, on and under the table in the corner.

”Ahh, young love,” Balin sighed, lost in some distant memory, leaning back in his chair.

”Hardly young,” Kili muttered from Balin's feet, trying to peer at the two of the dwarves from under the table. He was about to continue, but Dwalin slapped him across the head.

”Shh, I'm trying to hear what they're saying.”

Just then, Dori started walking away from the table.

”Is that it?” Gloin asked, clearly disappointed. He had hardly time to finish his sentence, when Bombur turned to talk to Dori.

”What is he saying? I can't hear!” Oin complained.

”He's asking Dori to have tea with him again,” Ori answered with a big grin on his face, and Bifur let out a whooping sound of triumph. All of the dwarves leaned forward to hear Dori's answer.

”He said yes!” Fili said, and the dwarves cheered quietly, not to alarm the two that they were being watched. The head bump caused even more joy among the dwarves. Nori and Bofur shared sly grins.

”I have to admit, I am slightly confused,” Bilbo, who had been silent through this whole ordeal, finally said from his place between the wall and Thorin. ”Not talking, drinking tea, head bumping. Is this how dwarves court?”

”Of course not,” Thorin answered. An amused smile had fallen even on his usually hard features, as he watched Bombur looking confusedly about. Finally he turned to Bilbo and, with a glint in his eyes, said: ”Usually we don't drink tea.”


End file.
